Les Champs-Elysées – English Lyrics

• By: Pomplamoose, John Schroeder
• Album: French EP

Lyrics & Translation

Want to immerse yourself in French culture and learn some everyday phrases? "Les Champs-Élysées" by Pomplamoose and John Schroeder is a perfect choice! This cheerful and romantic song, a modern rendition of a French classic, offers clear and engaging lyrics about a chance encounter on Paris's most famous avenue. Its simple yet evocative storytelling makes it an enjoyable and accessible way to practice French comprehension and experience a beloved piece of French pop music.

[English]

On the Champs-Elysées,

On the Champs-Elysées,

In the sun, in the rain, at noon or midnight

Everything you could want is on the Champs-Élysées!

I was walking down the avenue, my heart open to the unknown.

I wanted to say hello to anyone at all

Anyone, and it was you, I told you anything at all

It was enough to speak to you to tame you.

On the Champs-Elysées,

On the Champs-Elysées,

In the sun, in the rain, at noon or midnight.

Everything you could want is on the Champs-Élysées!

I said to you "I have a meeting in fifteen minutes with some crazy folks

who live with a guitar in hand from night 'til morning"

So I went with you, we sang and we danced

and we didn't even think of kissing each other.

On the Champs-Elysées,

On the Champs-Elysées,

In the sun, in the rain, at noon or midnight.

Everything you could want is on the Champs-Élysées!

On the Champs-Elysées,

On the Champs-Elysées,

In the sun, in the rain, at noon or midnight.

Everything you could want is on the Champs-Élysées!

Sous-titres/Captions/Subtítols www.music-text.cat Ignasi Barjau Capdevila

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
avenue /ˈævəˌnuː/ A2	noun - a wide street often lined with trees
heart /hɑːrt/ A2	noun - the organ that pumps blood through the body noun - the center of emotion or affection
unknown /ʌnˈnoʊn/ B1	adjective - not known or familiar
tame /teɪm/ B2	verb - to make an animal less wild or more obedient adjective - not wild or fierce
meeting /ˈmiːtɪŋ/ A2	noun - an event when people come together to discuss or do something
crazy /ˈkreɪzi/ A2	adjective - very strange or wild in behavior
guitar /ɡɪˈtɑːr/ A1	noun - a musical instrument with strings, played by strumming or plucking
sing /sɪŋ/ A1	verb - to produce musical sounds with your voice
dance /dæns/ A1	verb - to move your body rhythmically to music
kiss /kɪs/ A2	verb - to touch someone with your lips as a sign of affection noun - a touch with the lips in greeting or affection
sun /sʌn/ A1	noun - the star that provides light and heat to the Earth
rain /reɪn/ A1	noun - water that falls from the clouds in drops
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the time of day when it is dark and most people sleep
morning /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/ A1	noun - the early part of the day, from sunrise until noon
walk /wɔːk/ A1	verb - to move along on foot at a regular pace
want /wɒnt/ A1	verb - to desire or wish for something

Key Grammar Structures

• On the Champs‑Elysées, On the Champs‑Elysées,

  ➔ Prepositional phrase

  ➔ The phrase **"On the Champs‑Elysées"** begins with the preposition **"on"** and shows where the action takes place.

• In the sun, in the rain, at noon or midnight

  ➔ Series of prepositional phrases

  ➔ Each segment (**"in the sun"**, **"in the rain"**, **"at noon"**, **"or midnight"**) is a prepositional phrase that adds temporal or situational detail.

• Everything you could want is on the Champs‑Élysées!

  ➔ Modal verb + infinitive

  ➔ The modal **"could"** is followed by the infinitive **"want"**, expressing possibility or ability in the past context.

• I was walking down the avenue, my heart open to the unknown.

  ➔ Past continuous + participial phrase

  ➔ The verb phrase **"was walking"** shows an ongoing action in the past; **"my heart open to the unknown"** is a participial phrase describing the subject’s state.

• I wanted to say hello to anyone at all

  ➔ Verb + infinitive (wanted + to say)

  ➔ The past‑simple verb **"wanted"** is followed by the infinitive **"to say"**, indicating the speaker’s intention.

• It was enough to speak to you to tame you.

  ➔ Infinitive of purpose (to speak, to tame)

  ➔ The infinitives **"to speak"** and **"to tame"** follow the adjective **"enough"**, showing why something was sufficient.

• I said to you "I have a meeting in fifteen minutes with some crazy folks"

  ➔ Reported speech (present simple)

  ➔ The verb **"said"** introduces a clause in the present simple (**"I have a meeting"**), which is typical for reporting a current situation.

• who live with a guitar in hand from night 'til morning

  ➔ Relative clause (who + present simple)

  ➔ The relative pronoun **"who"** introduces a clause (**"live with a guitar…"**) that describes "some crazy folks".

• we sang and we danced and we didn't even think of kissing each other.

  ➔ Past simple + negative + gerund after 'think of'

  ➔ The verbs **"sang"**, **"danced"**, and the negative **"didn't think of"** are in the past simple; **"kissing"** is a gerund functioning as the object of "think of".